Bobbin clutch



Jan. 31, 1933. Q H MAGRATH' 1,895,810

BOBBIN CLUTCH .Filed Aug. 2s', 195o van tw: 'emye H ./Va r t/z,

Patented Jan. 3l, 1933 UMTEDSTATS PATENT- F'FICEL GEonGE nl. MAGR'ATH,or wnrr'msvnrln. MASSACHUSETTS' `1301313111 CLUTCH Appnctign ,may August26, lago. serialJ No. 477,811.1.;V

This 'inventiongrelates to an improvement in bobbinv clutches forrotatable spindles in which the clutching members-are provided to twithin the b ase of the bobbin and to expand therein, thus to maintainthe bobbin' in position during the spinning or other opera-V tion. Moreparticularly vthis invention emfl bodies an 4improved spring elementwhich is adapted to be used in bobbinclutches of the type shown in mycopending application Serial No. 295,158, filed July 25, 1928, nowPatent No. 1,820,574, issued August'25, 1931, as well as in variousAother types well known in the arte It is the 4object of this inventionto prof vide a spring element which is simple and economical tomanufacture, which is eicient and durable in use, and which is generallysuperior to those heretofore used in bobbin clutches. Further objectsand advantages will be apparent as attributes of the construction anddesign hereinafter to beset forth and described.

This invention provides a spring element which comprises spring metalwire so mounted as to afford a plurality of upwardly extending,symmetrically disposed, circumferentially spaced resilient fingers. Aparticularly desirous feature in the manufacture of such a spring isthat there is no necessity for heat treatment after shaping. Dispensingwith this relatively expensive and time-consuming operation not onlyproduces a less expensive structure, but also one which is tenacious anddurable in c-ontradistinction to the spring elements now or heretoforeused which require heat treatment, which resultsV in the production of abrittle structure not adapted to stand the stress and strain to whichsuch elements are subjected.

As the general construction and operation ofy rotatable spindles withexpansible clutching members are well known and familiar to thoseskilled in the. art, it will only be necessary here to illustrate anddescribe. the parts directly concerned with the present invention.

In the drawing: j

p Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of a clutch mechanism;

line `2 2 of Fig. 1;. y l, "Fig 3 is aplan'view and elevation ofthespring; `and fFig. 2 is atransverse cross section takenon hub 3 has fourradial slots extending longi` 65;

tudinally from one end throughout the maJor portion ofthe length ofthecase 7 leaving therebetween finger portions 8 which project into theannular recess 6."Disposed in the clutching members 11, having their. uper ends lipped to engage inside lthe 'case ias shown in Fig. 1, andhaving their lower ends terminating in outwardly vprojecting feet10`extending into and resting onthe bottom of 75 the annular recessl 6. Theclutching membersl1 are preferably heldin position byr a ring-'12 forcedinthe annular recess 6 above the feet 10.

Y The spring element 13, shown in Fig. 3, is a one-piece structureformed from a) blank -of spring steel wire. The blank is bent or shapedto define Vannular base sectors 14, up-

wardly extending, symmetricallyl disposed,"

circumferentially spaced'resilient fingers '15', 85"

the upper Vportions of which have outwardlyV flaring' tips 16.Preferablythe ends 17 of the spring arefwelded together. Seated on theneck 4 is the spring 13 with its annular base sectors blade'l, and theVflared tips 16 of the projecting lingers y15 engaging Athe clutchingmeme bers'll near their upper ends,-as shown in Fig; 1. VThe width ofthe fingers 15 is equal to'Vor preferably slightly less than the .width9.521

of the contact pieces k9.l The collar 18 with laterallyLprojecting tabsY19 V'is fitted on the: bladefl: withyitstabs'19 extending between the`fingers l lof the springl andtheir under surfaces in pressing 'contact'with the '100 Fig. 4: is a plan View of a collar used in one 55;

aforesaid slots are *thel contact pieces 9 of the 70 surrounding thebase portions 14 of the spring, as shown in Fig. 1. The collar is heldin this position referably by means of a pressed fit on the lade 1, oritmay be edectively so held by a pressed fit resulting from the contactof the ends of the tabs 19 with the lower interior walls Vof the fingerportions 8 of the case 7 Eitherfway the relative positions' of thefingers 15 of the spring, the clutching members 11, and the case fingers8 is maintained.

In assembling the parts `the whirl 2 is pref-J erably applied to theblade 1 first; the spring` 14 is dropped on the blade and then-r thevcollar 18is pressed on the blade in close relation to the neck. The case7 is pressed partiallyv on ythe blade andthe clutching ymembers 11 areinserted in theradial slots between. the ngers 8 of the case and whilebeing so held (by a temporaryiing yor equiv-yrv alentmeans) the case ispressed into position with its lingers 8: extending into the annularrecess 6. The ring`12 which holds the feet of the clutching members 11yis theny pressed into place.

' From the foregoing it will be evident that the spring is held inpositionby the collar, Whichis maintained in fixed relation to theblad-ev and-consequently the -spring lingers 15; throughthe medium ofthe clutching members 11 will yieldingly engage thev bobbin to hold itin position.

i It should be understood that the present disclosure jis for'thepurpose of illustration only Vand that this Linvention includes allmodifications l and equivalentsy which fall within the scope of theappended claims.

I'c1aim: `l Y i 1, Apparatus of. the character vdescribed comprising 'ablade, a whirl secured to the blade, the whirl havinga hub provided witha neck fitting around the-blade and an annu-4 larrecess surrounding theneck, a case conf' centric the lbladeand secured at its kupper endtheretoand having a plurality of vertical-slots, a .plurality ofclutching members seated at theirllower ends in said recess with theircontact segments disposed in the 4vertical slots of the case, a springcomprising a vpiece of, resilient wire shaped to define an annular baseanda: plurality of upwardly extending resilient ngers, saidspringbeingconcentric the blade within thecase and having its fingers engaging saidcontact segments, and means `for securing said spring in a fixedrelationto the clutching members. li o 2. ,Avbcbbin clutch comprising ablade, a whirl secured to the blade, the Whirlhaving a hub provided witha neckfitting around theV blade and an annular recess surround-` ingrtheneck, a case concentric the blade and secured at itsupper end thereto"and having a. lurality of symmetrically ldisposed,tvertil ca slots, aplurality of clutching members seated at their lower ends in said recesswith their ncontact segments disposed inthe vertif,

ing its fingers engaging said contact seg-k ments. n v Y 3.Y A bobbinclutch comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the blade, the whirlhaving a hub/'provided with a neck tting around the blade and an annularrecess surrounding the neck, a case concentric the blade and secured Yat'its upper end thereto and having a plurality ofsymmetricallyldisposed, vertical slots,

ra plurality `of clutching members seated at theirlower lends in vrsaidrecess kwith 1their contact lsegments V.disposed 'in ,the vertical slotsof the case, a spring com.y rising a piece of resilient wire shapedtordee'an annular base and a plurality kof upwardly; extending resilientfingers, said'spring'being concen tric the. blade within the case'andhaving its fingersfengaging the Contact segments, and an annular collarconcentric the bladeand havinga plurality ofvradially projecting vtabsengaging the base portions of the spring to hold the samein fixedposition.

4Signed by meat Boston, Massachusetts this 20th day of August, 1930.

Y Guionesn.y ,MAGRATH; et l

